Display refrigerator



J. A-. TIEFERT.

DISPLAY REFRlGERATOR.

APPLICATION HLEDJUNE 1a, 1921.

Patented J an. I 3, 1922..

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r the JOHN A. TIEFERT, OF MIAMI, FLORIDA.

nrsrnar ianrnrenna'ron.

rename.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. TInFnR'r, a citizen of the United States of America, residin at Miami, in the county of Dade and tate of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display Refrigerators; and i do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has reference to improvements in refrigerators and has for an object to provide a refrigerator of the display or show-case type wherein air is cooled by a refrigerating medium and caused to circulate to all parts of the case, thus maintaining the interior of the same at an even or uniform low temperature.

It is also an object of the invention to provide novel means for circulating the cooled air within the case from the refrigerating medium in such a manner as to cause the removal of the warmer air at the top of the case downwardly and directly over=said medium, for recoolmg, and to prevent any material Variance in the interior temperature of the case, hence, insuring the functioning of the same at its maximum efficiency throughout the eriod of use thereof.

Yet another 0 ject of the invention is to provide a display refrigerator having the top and door thereof so constructed and mounted as to permit of the escape of the warmer air only with openin of said door, and likewise, in the event of leakage by the door and its frame, to permit only the escape of the warmer air.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readil understood by persons skilled in the art, have in the accompanyin illustrative drawings and in the detailed f0 owin description based thereon, set out one em odiment of the same.

In these drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the im proved refrigerator;

Figure 2 1s a horizontal section there- Figure 3 is a fragmentary transversal section through the same.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, in connection with whlch llkB characters of reference will designate cor- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 18,

Patented Jan. 3, 1922. 1921. Serial No. 478,735.

responding parts throughout, my improved display refrigerator consists of a case or housmg indicated in its entirety by the numeral 1, the top, side, and one of the end walls thereof being formed of glass, whereby they Wlll be transparent for purposes ofdis play. In this connection, it is to be noted that in constructing the transparent walls of the housing, I employ a three layer or ply arrangement of glass, spacing each of the plies thereof sufficiently to provide heat insulating or dead air space as between them and by consequence, affording means for preventing condensation upon said transparent walls with the resultant interference with display of the contents of the case, as well as providing the same with a positive means for insulating the interior of the case from the outer atmosphere, which, of course, is at a higher temperature.

The top wall 2 of the case or housing is inclined upwardly towards the rear wall of the same as clearly shown in the Figure 3 whereby the warmer air within the case will be caused to move towards the rear of the same at all times.

To permit of access to the interor of the refrigerator, a door 3 is horizontally hinged as at 4 to the rear wall and, as will be understood, is adapted to be snugly re-. ceived within a suitable frame or way rovided therefor, the mounting of said door being such as to cause vertical movement of the same when swung to its open position and also, by being hinged at its bottom, will cause the vertically swinging door to open downwardly, hence, first opening the refrigerator adjacent its top wall 2 with downward swinging of the door. With the re sultant opening of the upper portion of the refrigerator first, it is to be understood that the warmer air found at the-top'of the refrigerator interior will be completely exhausted. A suitable form of catch or look 5 may be and preferably is provided the free portion of the door in order that the same may be releasably held in its closed position.

Arranged upon the solid bottom of the refrigerator 1 at a point adjacent the rear wall thereof is a refrigerating coil 6 the terminals of which are extended from one end wall of the refrigerator in order that they may be connected with a suitable circulating and refrigerating means, such ends,

if desired, being screw-threaded as at for an obvious purpose. A fiat shield or board 8 is arranged over the refrigerator coil and, obviously, serves to prevent direct contact of the oods to be preserved within the case therewith, this shield being arranged longitudinally of the case and having its oppositeends connected in a suitable mannerto the frames of the opposite end walls-of the refrigerator receiving the glass or other 10 transparent walls hereinbefore described.

The rear marginal portion of the shield is extended flush with the way for receiving the door 3 in the rear wall of the refrigerator and by consequence, affords a closed pocket therefor which will prevent the escape of cooled air directly from the coil with opening of the door to its full downward position.

As means for creating a forced circulation of air within the-refrigerator and to insure direct contact of the warmer air with the coils during such circulation, spaced vertical air ways are arranged adjacent the inner side of the rear wall and upon the opposite sides of the downwardly swinging door 3, such circulating ways being formed by constructing hoods 9 consisting of tightly joined strips of material having their inner ends resting upon the rear portion of the longitudinal shield 8 and the adjacent portions of said shield cut away as at 10, whereby to establish uninterrupted communication as between the top of the inclined wall 2 and the coil 6 arranged'on the bottom'of the refrigerator. Due to the provision of these several air circulatin ways at the rear of the refrigerator, it wi 1 be understood.

" that a thermos phonic circulation of air will occur with n the refrigerator housing 40 and. by consequence, will serve to maintain the interior temperature of the same at its.

minimum. Thus, by reason of the constant circulation of the cooled air interiorly of the refrigerator, I am enabled to maintain the same at a most eflicient low uniform temperature. Furthermore, as previouslystated, due to the fact that the door 3 opens downwardly, first exposing the upper portion of the interior of the refrigerator, the warmer air found at the top thereof will be first exopening will serveto thoroughly scavenge the interior of, the refrigerator of the tions.

While I have not hereinbefore laid any particular stress upon the detailed construction of the refrigerator housing, it is, of course, to be understood that the same may be made of various sizes or designs and, furthermore, that the arrangement of the vertically swinging door 3 and its frame therefor is such as to provide the nearest possible approach to a fluid tight connection, such an arrangement being old and well known in the art. Also, if found to be desirable, the size or specific formation of the refrigerating coil 6 may be changed or varied, such as conditionsor preference may dictate.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modification and such modification as is within the scope of my claims, I consider within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A refrigerator comprising a housing, refrigerating means arranged in the bottom of the housing, a shield extending over the refrigerating means, and a plurality of vertical air circulating ways formed adjacent the rear wall of the housing communicating with the top and bottom portions of said housing. 1

- 2. A refrigerator comprising 'a housing, the top wall of which is inclined upwardly towards its rear wall, refrigeratingmeans on the bottom of the housing, a longitudinal shield extending over said refrigerating means and forming a rearwardly closed pocket therefor, and a plurality of vertical air circulating ways formed adjacent said.

rear wall communicating with the top and bottom portions of the housing.

3. A refrigerator, comprising a housing, the top wall of which is inclined upwardly towards its rear wall, refrigerating means on the bottom of the housing, a longitudinal shield extending over said refrigerating means and forming a rearwardly closedu pocket therefor, a rality of air circulatings ways within t e refrigerator adjacent its rear wall and communicating. with the top and bottom portions of the same, and a downwardly opening door insaidj rear wall. In witness whereof I have hereunto set In hand; y JOHN A. TIEFERT. 

